أَلا أَرى لِلمَرءِ أَن يَأمَنَ الدَهرا

فَإِنَّ لَهُ في طولِ مُهلَتِهِ مَكرا

Alas, should man feel safe from fate for long?

For in the length of respite lurks deceit.

فَكَم مِن مُلوكٍ أَمَّلوا أَن يُخَلَّدوا

رَأَيتَ صُروفَ الدَهرِ تَجزُرُهُم جَرا

How many kings who hoped for immortality

Have you seen swept away by the turns of fate?

بُليتُ بِدارٍ ما تَقَضّى هُمومُها

فَلَستُ أَرى إِلّا التَوَكُّلَ وَالصَبرا

I am afflicted with a house whose sorrows are endless;

I see no recourse but trust in God and patience.

إِذا ما انقَضى يَومٌ بِأَمرٍ فَقُلتُ قَد

أَمِنتُ أَذاهُ أَحدَثَت لَيلَةٌ أَمرا

If a day passes with an event, and I say,

"I am safe from its harm," a night brings new trouble.

أُحِبُّ الفَتى يَنفي الفَواحِشَ سَمعُهُ

كَأَنَّ بِهِ عَن كُلِّ فاحِشَةٍ وَقرا

I love the noble youth who turns his hearing away from vices,

As if to guard himself from each corruption and defect.

سَليمَ دَواعي الصَدرِ لا باسِطاً يَداً

وَلا مانِعاً خَيراً وَلا قائِلاً هُجرا

Composed in his feelings, neither refusing bounty,

Nor barring good deeds, nor speaking words of estrangement.

إِذا ما بَدَت مِن صاحِبٍ لَكَ زَلَّةٌ

فَكُن أَنتَ مُحتالاً لِزَلَّتِهِ عُذرا

If a companion slips, make excuses to cover his error;

Seek to be an apologist for his slip.

أَرى اليَأسَ مِن أَن تَسأَلَ الناسَ راحَةً

تُميتُ بِها عُسراً وَتُحيِي بِها يُسرا

I see no use in asking people for comfort

By which to soothe hardship and revive ease.

وَلَيسَت يَدٌ أَولَيتَها بِغَنيمَةٍ

إِذا كُنتَ تَبغي أَن تُعِدَّ لَها شُكرا

The hand you have accustomed to booty

Will need to be thanked if you wish it to show gratitude.

غِنى المَرءِ ما يَكفيهِ مِن سَدِّ خَلَّةٍ

فَإِن زادَ شَيئاً عادَ ذاكَ الغِنى فَقرا

A man's wealth lies in contendedness to plug his lacks;

If something extra accrues, that wealth becomes poverty.